After South Korea bank hack, developer closes source code of ARTEX tool
Security firms link the open-source tool from China to attacks on South Korean banks. It is no longer freely available. Japan is also grappling with a wave of hacks.
Graphic: TERRA WORLD NEWS (own graphic based on the sources listed)
The Chinese developer of the AI agent ARTEX has converted it into a closed-source project, meaning its source code is no longer freely available, according to Reuters. Cybersecurity firms had previously linked the formerly open-source tool to a series of attacks on South Korean banks. According to the New York Times, the firm CrowdStrike said on Wednesday that the attacks may have been carried out by a hacker using Chinese and US AI tools. Besides ARTEX, the attacker also used Anthropic's Claude Code, it said.
Companies in South Korea and Japan are strengthening their defences after a wave of cyberattacks, Reuters reports. According to experts, AI may be making it easier for criminals with limited technical skills. CrowdStrike explicitly phrased its assessment of the bank attacks cautiously.